Device for automatically cleaning electrical contact surfaces in photographic apparatus

ABSTRACT

IN PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS SUCH AS A STILL PICTURE OR MOVING PICTURE CAMERA, A DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING THE CONNECTED SURFACES OF AN INSTALLED ELECTRICAL CELL AND MATING CIRCUIT CONTACTS UTILIZES AN ACTUATING MEMBER THAT EXTENDS INTO THE CELL HOLDER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH EITHER THE CELL ITSELF OR ONE OF THE MATING CONTACTS AND WHICH IS MOVABLE TO EFFECT RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE CELL AND AT LEAST ONE OF THE CONTACTS IN RESPONSE TO THE POSITIONING OF AN ASSOCIATED MEMBER, SUCH AS A FLASHBULB, FLASHCUBE, OR FILM MAGAZINE, IN OPERATIVE RELATION OF THE APPARATUS, OR IN RESPONSE TO THE PERFORMANCE OF SOME OTHER FUNCTION THAT IS A PREREQUISITE TO THE PROPER OPERATION OF SUCH APPARATUS.

United States Patent DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING ELECTRICAL CONTACT SURFACES IN PHOTOGRAPHlC APPARATUS 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 95/11, 136/173, 339/95, 240/1.3

Int. Cl G031) 19/00 Field 01 Search 95/11' [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,238 6/1938 Brush 136/173 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,132,201 6/1962 Germany 136/173 Primary Examiner-John M. Horan Assistant Examiner-Alan Mathews Attorneys-Robert W. Hampton and William C. Dixon, 111

ABSTRACT: In photographic apparatus such as a still picture or moving picture camera, a device for automatically cleaning the connected surfaces of an installed electrical cell and mating circuit contacts utilizes an actuating member that extends into the cell holder for engagement with either the cell itself or one of the mating contacts and which is movable to effect relative movement between the cell and at least one of the contacts in response to the positioning of an associated member, such as a flashbulb, flashcube, or film magazine, in operative relation to the apparatus, or in response to the performance of some other function that is a prerequisite to the proper operation of such apparatus.

PATENTEDJUN28|91| SHEET 1 [IF 2 HORST SIMON INVENTOR.

BY m

WWQM

ATTORNEYS PATENTEnJuuze nan SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG.3

INVENTOR.

HORST SIMON ATTORNEYS DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING ELECTRICAL CONTACT SURFACES IN PIIOTOGRAPIIIC APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The connecting surfaces of electrical cells and mating circuit contacts are made of metals that are susceptible to becoming oxidized with the passage of time. Such oxidizat-ion sometimes increases the electrical resistance at the interface of connected surfaces to such an extent that circuit malfunc tions result, even with cells that are otherwise in operative condition but which have been out of use for a considerable period of time. To avert such circuit malfunctions, the connecting surfaces of electrical cells and mating circuit contacts should be cleaned regularly, as can be done, for example, by rubbing connected surfaces against each other.

Toward that end, in electrical apparatus comprising exchangeable components having connecting surfaces which are engageable with mating circuit contacts in the apparatus when the components are installed, it is known to provide a manually operatable device that can cause relative movement between the connecting surfaces of the installed component and the mating circuit contacts while simultaneously actuating a switch to close the electrical circuit thus formed. Such a device poses the obvious disadvantage of requiring a separate manual operation every time the connected surfaces are to be cleaned, which operation could be inconvenient and easily neglected by the user of the apparatus.

Consequently, there is need of a device that can prevent the aforementioned circuit malfunctions by cleaning such connected surfaces automatically, i.e., without requiring a separate manual operation therefor, especially the connected surfaces of an electrical cell and a mating circuit contact in such apparatus as photographic cameras and associated equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises, therefore, in combination with photographic apparatus having means for receiving an electrical cell including a pair of electrical contacts for connecting a received cell to an electrical circuit in the apparatus, a simple, inexpensive, and practical device for automatically cleaning the connecting surfaces of a received cell and at least one mating circuit contact in order to maintain an effective electrical connection therebetween. The device includes an actuating member mounted on the apparatus and extending into the cell-receiving means for engagement with either the received cell or one of the circuit contacts, the actuating member being movable to effect relative movement between the cell and at least one of the contacts in response to movement of an associated member that is positionable on the apparatus as a prerequisite to proper operation of the apparatus.

The photographic apparatus could be a still picture or moving picture camera having a receptacle for receiving a photographic attachment needed for proper operation of the camera, in which case the associated member could be such an attachment insertable in the receptacle, and the actuating member, then, could extend from the receptacle into the cellreceiving means to move either the cell or a movable contact in response to insertion of the attachment in the receptacle.

In the first illustrated embodiment of thisinvention, the apparatus is a still picture camera that includes a socket for receiving a flashbulb, the associated member is a flashbulb insertable in the socket, the actuating member extends from the socket into the cell-receiving means to engage a received cell, and the actuating member is movable to move the cell relative to the mating circuit contacts in response to insertion of the flashbulb in the socket. The second illustrated embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that the flashbulb socket is replaced by a flashcube socket and the flashbulb is replaced by a flashcube. In the third illustrated embodiment, the apparatus is a motion picture camera that includes a chamber for receiving a film magazine, the associated member is a film magazine insertable in the chamber, the actuating member extends from the chamber into the cell-receiving means to engage one of the circuit contacts, and the actuating member is movable to move the engaged contact relative to a received cell in response to insertion of the magazine in the chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the preferred embodiments described below,-reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, with portions broken away for clarity of illustration, of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a cell. holder, a flashbulb socket, and a flashbulb not yet fully inserted in the socket;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, with portions broken away for clarity of illustration, of a second embodiment of the present invention, showing, in part of a camera housing, a cell holder and a flashcube socket, along with a flashcube not yet fully inserted in the socket; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, with portions broken away for clarity of illustration, of a motion picture camera, showing two cell holders, a chamber for receiving a film magazine, and a film magazine fully inserted in the chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings comprises, for a still picture camera, a cell receiving means such as cell holder 10 and a socket 11 for receiving a flashbulb 12 having a base portion 13 insertable in the socket. Included in socket 11 are two electrical contacts 11a and 11b engageable by base portion 13 to connect flashbulb' 12 to an associated electrical circuit (not shown). Extending from socket 11 into cell holder 10 is an actuating member such as pin 14 which is engageable with a cell 15 received in cell holder 10 between electrical contacts 16 and 17. Cell 15 is provided with electrical contact surfaces 15a and 15b at its opposite ends, surface 15a engaging contact 16 and surface 15b engaging contact 17 when cell 15 is inserted in cell holder 10 to connect cell 15 to the associated electrical circuit. Urging cell 15 toward socket 11 is a biasing means such as resilient spring member 18. Thus, when there is no flashbulb in socket 11, spring member 18 urges cell 15 upward, as viewed in FIG. 1, to a first (upper) position between contacts 16 and 17. As flashbulb 12 is fully inserted in socket 11, base portion 13 actuates pin 14, and hence cell 15, in a downward direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, in opposition to the upward-biasing influence of spring member 18, to move cell 15 to a second (lower) position between contacts l6 and 17. In this manner, insertion of flashbulb 12 in socket 11 causes relative movement between cell 15 and mating contacts 16 and 17, thereby cleaning the connected surfaces of the cell and both circuit contacts. When flashbulb 12 is removed from socket 11, spring member 18 urges cell 15 upward to the first (upper) position so that relative movement between cell 15 and mating contacts 16 and 17 is again effected. To assist the return of pin 14 to its first (upper) position, additional biasing means such as spring 19 may be provided to urge pin 14 upward when flashbulb 12 is removed.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings is similar to that illustrated in FIG. I, the differences being that the still picture camera housing H in FIG. 2 comprises a socket 11' for receiving a flashcube 12 having a base portion 13' insertable in socket 11 to actuate pin 14'. Other elements in the embodiment of FIG. 2 are identical to those shown in FIG. 1

and are designated by the same reference numerals bearing primes. Operation of the device illustrated in FIG. 2 is likewise the same as that of the device shown in FIG. 1, the associated member in FIG. 2 being a flashcube instead of a flashbulb as in FIG. 1.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings comprises a motion-picture camera C having a cell-receiving means such as cell holder 30 for receiving a cell 33 between mating resilient contacts 31 and 32 and also a cell-receiving means such as cell holder 40 for receiving one or more cells 43' between mating resilient contacts 41 and 42. Contacts 31 and 32 serve to connect cell 33 to one associated electrical circuit, such as an exposure-control circuit in the camera, while contacts 41 and 42 serve to connect cells 43 to another associated electrical circuit, such as a camera-drive-motor circuit. Also included in camera C is a chamber 50 for receiving a film magazine 51 having surfaces 52 and 53 which face cell holders 30 and 40, respectively, when the film magazine has been in serted in chamber 50 as shown. Extending from chamber 50 into cell holder 30 for engagement with contact 31 is a resilient actuating member 34, and similarly extending from chamber 50 into cell holder 30 for engagement with contact 32 is a resilient actuating member 35. In like fashion, resilient actuating members 44 and 45 extend from chamber 50 into cell holder 40 for engagement with contacts 41 and 42, respectively.

In operation, as film magazine 51 is fully inserted in chamber 50, surface 52 of the film magazine moves actuating member 34 to the left (as viewed in FIG. 3), which in turn moves contact 31 leftward relative to cell 33, and actuating member 35 'to the left (as viewed in FIG. 3), which in turn moves contact 32 leftward relative to cell 33. In like manner, surface 53 of the film magazine moves actuating members 44 and 45 downward (as viewed in FIG. 3), which in turn move contacts 41 and 42, respectively, downward relative to cells 43. Thus it can be seen that placing film magazine 51 in its operative position in chamber 50, a prerequisite to operating camera C, effects relative movement between cell 33 and mating contacts 31 and 32 and relative movement between cells 43 and mating contacts 41 and 42, thereby cleaning the connected surfaces to ensure an effective electrical connection therebetween.

Actuating members 34, 35, 44, and 45, as are contacts 31, 32, 41, and 42, are made of a resilient material to provide a biasing influence urging the return of the actuating members as well as the contacts to their respective original positions upon the removal of film magazine 51 from chamber 50. Hence, in the embodiment of FIG. 3 as in the previously described embodiments, relative movement between a received cell and mating circuit contacts is ensured during both the positioning and removal of an associated member.

In all three of the illustrated embodiments, the primary object of this invention has been fully met in that, by the positioning of an associated member, such as flashbulb l2, flashcube 12, or film magazine 51, in operative relation to photographic apparatus, as a prerequisite to operating such apparatus, relative-movement between a received cell and mating circuit contacts is ensured, thereby providing a systematized, automatic cleaning of the connected surfaces to maintain an optimum electrical connection therebetween. It should be apparent that the concept of this invention includes the positioning of any other associated member which is prerequisite to proper use of the apparatus involved. Thus the invention is intended to embrace any relative movement between a received cell and a mating circuit contact, for the purpose of cleaning the connected surfaces, that is effected automatically by the positioning of such a member or the performance of some other operation or function which may be necessary before the apparatus can be properly used.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. In a photographic apparatus having means for receiving an electrical cell including a pair of electrical contacts for connecting a received cell to an electrical circuit in the apparatus, the apparatus being operatable with an associated member positionable thereon preparatory to operating the apparatus, the improvement comprising a device for automatically cleaning mating surfaces of a received cell and at least one of said contacts to maintain an effective electrical connection between said surfaces, the device including a movable actuating member mounted on the apparatus and extending into the cell receiving means for engagement with one of said received cell and said contacts, the actuating member having means responsive to positioning of the associated member on the apparatus for moving the actuating member to effect relative movement between said cell and one of said contacts, wherein said actuating member and the one of said received cell and said contacts engaged thereby are movable in one direction in response to movement of said associated member to a predetermined position, and wherein said device includes biasing means for urging said actuating member and the engaged one of said cell and said contacts in the opposite direction in response to movement of said associated member from said predetermined position.

2. The improvement claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said actuating member and said one of said received cell and said contacts engaged thereby is movable in said one direction from a first position to a second position in response to movement of said associated member to said predetermined position, and wherein said biasing means urges each of said actuating member and said engaged one of said cell and said contacts in said opposite direction from said second position to said first position in response to movement of said associated member from said predetennined position.

3. In a photographic apparatus having a receptacle for receiving a photographic attachment, means for receiving an electric cell, an electrical circuit, and a pair of electrical contacts for connecting a received cell to the electrical circuit; the improvement comprising an actuating member movably mounted on the apparatus and extending from the receptacle into the cell receiving means for engagement with one of said received cell and said contacts; and means responsive to positioning of the photographic attachment in the receptacle for moving said actuating member to effect relative movement between the cell and at least one of said contacts.

4. In a photographic apparatus having a socket for receiving a flashbulb, means for receiving an electric cell, an electric circuit, and a pair of electrical contacts for connecting a received cell to the electrical circuit; the improvement comprising an actuating member movably mounted on the apparatus and extending from the socket into the cell receiving means for engagement with one of said received cell and said contacts; and means responsive to positioning of the flashbulb in the socket for moving said actuating member to effect relative movement between the cell and at least one of said contacts.

5. The improvement claimed in claim 4 wherein said actuating member is engageable with said cell and is movable to effect movement of said cell in response to insertion of said flashbulb in said socket.

6. In a photographic apparatus having a socket for receiving a flashcube, means for receiving an electric cell, an electric circuit, and a pair of electrical contacts for connecting a received cell to the electrical circuit; the improvement comprising an actuating member movably mounted on the apparatus and extending from the socket into the cell receiving means for engagement with one of said received cell and said contacts; and means responsive to positioning of the flashcube in the socket for moving said actuating member to effect relative movement between the cell and at least one of said contacts.

7. The improvement claimed in claim 6 wherein said actuating member is engageable with said cell and is movable to effect movement of said cell in response to insertion of said flashcube in said socket.

magazine in the chamber for moving said actuating member to effect relative movement between the cell and at least one of said contacts.

9. The improvement claimed in claim 8 wherein said actuating member is engageable. with one of said contacts and is movable to effect movement of said one contact in response to insertion of said magazine in said chamber. 

